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MLB trade rumors: Top 25 trade assets for deadline

By Joshua Sadlock

Jun 24, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado (13) smiles while on deck during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado (13) smiles while on deck during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 20, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches the ball against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 20, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches the ball against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

25. Sonny Gray

After dealing with numerous health issues that pushed his ERA all the way up to an ugly 5.69 last season, Sonny Gray has returned to form for the most part this season. His ERA through 11 starts is still almost two runs higher than 2015 when he nearly won the AL Cy Young, but his peripheral numbers are in line with his best seasons.

Gray is 3-3 in his 11 starts this year, but is striking out more hitters than he did when he was at his best in 2015. He is being hurt a little bit by the longball and a higher-than-average batting average on balls in play of .320. Gray has also allowed a .313 batting average with runners in scoring position. That should also even out with more starts.

Make no mistake, Gray is still working through some things, but the good starts have far outweighed the bad. Now may be the time for Billy Beane and the Oakland Athletics to go ahead and make a move to trade Gray before anything else happens to diminish his trade value. The talent that helped him go 33-20 with a 2.88 ERA in his first three years in the big leagues has not gone away and he has not had a serious elbow or shoulder injury.

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